Coin-operated mechanism



E. H. HELT.

COIN OPERATED MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 4, 1919.

1,347,742 Patented July 27, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

E. H. HELT.

COIN OPERATED MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 4. 1919.

1,347,742. Patented July 27, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- mechanism of automatic vending machines.

oNrrED STATES PATENT OFFICE.'

COIN-OPERATED MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 27, 1920.

Application illed November 4, 1919.- Serial No. 335,577.

.To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD H. HELT, a citizen of the United States, andresiding in the borou h of Bellevue, county of Allegheny, an State ofPennsylvania, have invented or discovered certain new and usefulImprovements in Coin-Operated Mechanism, ofwhich the following is aspecication.

My invention consists incertain new and useful improvements in the coinoperated One object which I have in view is .the provision of meanswhereby such mechanism may be set or adjusted to operate wlth differentnumbers of the proper coin, thereby. enabling the mechanism to be setfor vending articles of different values. Thus by setting the machineproperly articles of, say the value of live cents can at one time bevended, while at another time ten cent, fif- I against the requiredmovement, such means being however rendered inactive by the in sertionBf the proper coin or coins in the mechanism, the locking means beingadjustable so that it may be set to require any given number of coins inthe mechanism to render it operatable.

l also show novel means whereby the actuating element of, a coinoperated mechai nism is normally locked against actuating movement andthe locking mechanism is rendered inactive by the insertion of a coinor. coins.

Other novel features of construction and arrangement of parts willappear from the following description.

In the accom anying drawings, which are merely intende to illustrate apractical embodiment of the principle of my invention without limitingthe scope of the same to the construction shown, Figure 1 is a frontelevation of my mechanism shown contained coins to drop out of the coinslot; and

in an outer box or case; Fi 2 is a vertical section of the mechanism; lplan view of the mechanism, t e lever shown for connecting the mechanismto a vendingl suflicient number of coins in the slot and the mechanismlocked when an attempt is made to depress it. v

The following is a detailed description of the drawings.

A is the box or outer case, preferably made of metal and provided with'a front panel l of glass. B is the back or supporting plate rigidlymounted in the case A, as by brackets 2. 3 represents verticallydisposed rails fixed to the back of plate B be tween which works theslide bar C which is provided with a longitudinal coin slot 4, open atthe bottom and also, preferably, at the top of the slide. The slide VCis held in `position between the rails as by the cross bar 5 near theuppnr ends of the rails and the rails near their bottom ends.

7 represents plates secured to the outer faces of the rails and shownextending below the latter. Said plates are provided on their exposededges with locking notches 8 whose lower walls are horizontal .whiletheir upper walls are inclined to form entrances to said notches. Thenotches on the two lock plates 8 are alined horizontally in pairs, andthe number of pairs provided equals the greatest number of coins whichthe mechanism can be set to require to make the same operate.

The plate B is provided with a longitudinal slot 9 and the front wall ofthe slide C is provided with a similar slot 10 which registers with slot9 when the slide is elevated. The slot 10 thus exposes a portion of theinterior of the coin slot 4 through the slot 9, so that the coins insaid slot 4 can be seen through the glass front of the case A. The rearwall of the slide C, opposite the slot 10 in its front wall, is'providedwith a vertical row of pin holes l1 which are in effect exi 3 is abottom inwardly extending plates 6' secured to the tended rearwardly ofthe slide by means of 29 on the slidewith the under side of the 65annular collars or slide bearings 12 fixed on v the rear face of theslide.

D is an open frame fixed on the rear fac-e of the slide C and consistingof end cross bars 13 attached to the slide and having their endsconnected by side plates 14 which p move outside of the notched plates7. .The

plates 14 are provided in the horizontal plane of each pin hole 11 withslots 15 eX- tending outwardly from their inner edges to a distancegreater than the width of the lock plates 7. 16 represents a centrallongi-` cross bar 5.

The position of the slide and frame when elevated and at rest is suchthat the cross heads 1S) of the pins 18 are just above the correspondingnotches 8 in the lock plates 7.

30 is a lever or other operative connection attached to the lower end ofthe slide C in any convenient manner, and adapted, when the slide isdepressed, to actuate the vending machine not shown.

It is evident that many different types of operative connection betweenthe sliding eletudinal bar on the frame D provided with a\ments of mycoin operated mechanism and a series of pin holes 17, one in the samehorizontal plane of each of the pin holes 11 and corresponding pairs ofslots 15. 18 represents. pins whose inner ends engage the bearings 12While their outer ends protrude through the holes 17 in the bar 16. 19are A cross heads fixed on'the pins 18, and 2() are helical springscoiled about said pins between said cross heads and the bar 16, thustending to force said pins through the holes 11 into the coin slot 4.Said pins may be held retracted from said coin slot by means of washers21 and nuts 22 on the outer ends of said pins. In the drawings I haveshown the two upper pins and the bottom pin thus retracted, while thesecond pin from the bottom is not thus retracted and may be termedactive The slide C and the frame D are normally held elevated by thehelical spring 23 which connects the vtop of the frame with a point onthe plate B near its top. After the slide is depressed, when released,it will thus be automatically returned to its elevated position.

24 isa second vertical slot in the plate B, below the slot 9, or the twoslots may be continuous. The lower end of the slide C is also slottedtransversely to the coin slot and is provided with a pair of spacedapart projections 25 which protrude through the slot 24 and bycontacting with the lower end of said slot, limit the downward movementof the slide C. The projections 24 are pierced to permit the lever 26 tobe pivoted between them, the short end of said lever normally occupyingthe slotted lower end of the slide C, intersecting the coin slot 4 andprevent ing the downward escape of the coins E contained in said coinslot. 27 is an abutment bar spaced from and mounted on the plate B atthe lower end of the slot 24, and 28 is a helical spring connecting theouter and longer end of the lever 26 to the abutment 27, thus holdingthe lever in its horizontal position, when the slide C is elevated, toblock the lower end of the coin slot 4.

The upward movement of the slide C and frame D is limited by anyconvenient means, such as the contact of the heads of screws vendingmachine may be used. This operative connection is therefore simplyindicated by the depending lever 3() extending through a slot 31 in thebottom of the case 32 is a push stem attached to the upper end of theslide and extending up through a slot 33 in the top of the case-A. Aconvenient manner of securing the push stem to the slide is by insertingthe former into the upper end of the coin slot 4 and securing it to -theslide by screws 34.-

35 is a coin hopper on the top of the case A communicating'with a curvedpassage 36, formed on the back of plate B. 37 is a lateral gate orentrance to the coin slot 4, so positioned that when the slide C is inits elevated position, said gate registers with the lower end of thepassage 36, so that the proper coin, when inserted in the hopper 35 willpass down into the coin slot 4 and rest on the inner end of the lever 26or upon the coin previously inserted, 'as the case may be.

The side of the passage 37 is preferably slotted, as. at 38 to permit acoin of too small a diameter to drop outlaterally to the bottom -of thecase A without entering the coin slot 4.

The operation of my improved coin mechanism, as the same is illustratedin the accompanying drawings is as follows:

It will be noted in the drawings that the second pin 18 from the bottomis not permanently retracted and thus may for convenience be calledactive. Thus the mechanism is set or adjusted to require the insertionof two` coins, say nickles, before the slide C can be depressed'tooperate the as.

sociated vending machine, not shown.

It will be seen that when the mechanism 60 j the spring 23 automaticallyreturns the slide depression and preventing the pperati'on o f thevending machine. This action is shown in Fi 7 where the active pin 18has been force to protrude into the slot 4 and the cross head is'engaged with the locking notches.

However, if, aswin Fi two coins E are inserte in the slot, when the pushrod is forced downwardly, the cross head 19 of the active `pin 18willnot be sprung into engagement with the locking notches .8 becausethe upper com blocks the corresponding pin ho`le`11 in the wall of theslide C, thus holding the active pin 5, the necessary retracted so thatits cross head will' pass down in front of the notches 8 withoutengaging the same, and thus the slide can be depressed until itsprojections 25 contact- `with the lower end of theslot 24C in the plateB. Thus the vending machine is operated. When theslide C reaches thelower end of its movement, the lever 26 contacts with the abutment 27'and is tilted, as shown in Fig. 6, permitting the coins E to drop out atthe bottom pf the slot into the case A.

Of course, the distance from the top edge of the lever 26, when thesame, is horizontal to the first pin hole 11 and the distances betweenthe pin holes must be suiicient to properly position the coins in theslot 4.' Thus said pin' holes should be centered apart a distanceequal.to the diameter of the coin intended to be used while the distancefrom the center of the lowest pin' tracted by means of the nuts andwashers except the lowermost pin which would beI active, locking themechanism against oper- 'ative movement unless a coin was first insertedinthe slot 4. With the coin inserted, the same would holdthe active pinretracted and permit the full depression of the slide.

If three coins are to be required, the second pin from the top would bemade active and the rest inactive. If four coins are to be required, thetop pin would be made active and the remainder may be inactive. Byincreasing the number of pins 18, pin holes 11, and pairs of lockingnotches 8, it is evident that the machine might be set to operate withthe insertion of any 'desiied number of coins.

When the stem 32 is relieved of pressure and frame to its elevatedposition at rest. This occurs in case a full operative depression hasjust been eiected or an attempt has been made to operate the mechanismwith an in- `thereby permitting the actuating movement A suiiicientnumber of 'coins resulting in locking of articles of greater or lessvalue. This is a very important and advantageous feature, especially 1nautomatic restaurant servicewhere articles of a large range pf yvaluesare for sale. Thus the coin operated mechanism ma be standard inconstruction and the individual mechanism set for the proper values ofthe particular articles whose sale they are to control.

The mechanism is simple, durable and easy to keep in eiiicient workingorder. The coins which are inserted in the slot are in plain-view untildischarged simultaneously with the operation of the vending machine, soin case ofA a dispute owing to the reusal of the mechanism to work, thecoins inserted by the customer can be easily seen and counted.

Although, for the sake of clearly lillustrating the principles of myinvention, I have minutely described the embodiment shown inthedrawings, I do notl wish to limit myself thereby but claim broadly:

1. Ina coin operated mechanism adapted Vto be v operated with differentnumbers of coins, the combination ofa fixed member, an actuating memberprovided with a longitudinally disposed coin slot into which the coinsare ldropped one after the other and mounted to reciprocate in relation\to said fixed member, a pluralityof locking means moving with saidactuating member and individually adapted to engage a portion of saidfixed member to prevent actuating movement of said actuating member,means 'for rendering said locking means individually inactive, and meanswhereby the active locking means are temporarily rendered inoperative bythe insertion 'of the proper number of ycoins in said coin slot,

of said actuating member.

2. In a coin operated mechanism adapted to be operated with diierentnumbers of coins, the combination of a fixed member, an actuating memberprovided with a longitudinally disposed coin slot into which the coinsare dropped one after the other and mounted to reciprocate in relationto said ixed member, a plurality of locking means moving with saidactuating member and individually adapted to engage a portion of saidfixed member to prevent actuating movement of said actuating member,means for rendering said locking means individually inactive, meanswhereby the active vlookin means are rendered temporarily inpermittingthe actuating movement of said actuating member, and means whereby saidcoins are dischalged from said coin slot upon the actuating movement ofsaid actuating member.

In a coin operated `mechanism adapted to be adjusted to operate withdifferent' numbers of coins, the combination ofiI a fixed member, anactuating member provided with a. longitudinally disposed coin slot intowhich the coins are dropped one after the other and mounted toreciprocate in relation to said fixed member, a plurality of individuallocking means adapted to prevent the actuating movement of saidactuating member, means whereby any selected locking means may berendered temporarily inactive by the insertion of the proper number ofcoins in said coin slot, and additional means .for rendering theremainder of said locking means inoperative, whereby all but theselected locking means arel inoperative while the actuating member maybe released for operation by the insertion of the proper number of coinsin said coin slot.

4. In a coin operated mechanism adapted to be adjusted to operate withdifferent numbers of coins, the combination of a fixed member, anactuating member provided with a longitudinally disposed coin slot intowhich the coins are dropped one after the other and mounted toreciprocate in relation to said fixed member,y a plurality of individuallocking means adapted to prevent the actuating movement of saidactuating member, means whereby any selected locking means may berendered temporarily inactive by the insertion of the proper number ofcoins in said coin slot, additional means for rendering the remainder ofsaid locking means inoperative, whereby all but the selected lockingmeans are inoperative while the actuating member may be released foroperation by the insertion of the proper number of coins in said coinslot, and means whereby the coins are discharged from said coin slotupon the actuating movement of said actuating member.

5. In a coin operated mechanism adapted to be adjusted to operate withdiderent numbers of' coins, the combination of a fixed member, anactuating member provided with a longitudinally disposed coin slot intowhich the coins are dropped one after the other and mounted toreciprocate in relation to said fixed member, .a plurality of deviceseach adapted to lock said actuating member against actuating movement,means whereby each of said locking devices may be individually renderedtemporarily inactive by the insertion of the proper number of coins insaid coin slot, and additional means for individually rendering saidlocking means inoperative, whereby all but a selected one of saidlocking devices may be rendered inoperative by said last named means andthe actuating member may then be released for actuating movement by theinsertion of the proper number of coins in said coin slot.

6. In a coin operated mechanism adapted to be adjusted to operate withdifferent numbers of coins, the combination of a fixed member, anactuating member pro.

ber: of coins in saidcoin slot, additional means for individuallyrendering said lock- `1ng means inoperative, whereby all but a selectedone of said locking devices may be rendered inoperative by said lastnamed means and the actuating member may then be ,released for actuatingmovement by the insertion of the proper number of coins in said coinslot, and means whereby the coins are discharged from said coin slotupon the lzctuating movement of said actuating mem- .er.

7 In a coin operated mechanism adapted to be adjusted to operate withdifferent numbers of coins, the combination of a fixed member, anactuating member provided with a. longitudinally disposed coin slot intowhich the coins are dropped one after the other and vmounted toreciprocate in relation to said fixed member, an actuating memberprovided with a coin slot and mounted to reciprocate in relation to saidfixed member, a plurality of devices moving with said actuating member,and each adapted, by engagement with a portion of said fixed member, tolock said actuating member against actuating movement, means wherebyeach of said locking devices may be rendered temporarily inactive by theinsertion of the proper number of coins in said coin slot, andadditional means for individually rendering said locking meansinoperative, whereby all but a selected one of said locking devices maybe rendered inoperative by said last mentioned means, and the actuatingmember may then be released for actuating movement by the insertion ofthe proper number of coins in said coin slot.

8. In a coin operated mechanism adapted to be adjusted to operate withdifferent numbers of coins, the combination of a fixed member, anactuating member provided Wit-h a longitudinally disposed' coin slotinto which the coins are dropped one ing means inoperative, whereby allbut a.

selected one of said locking devices may be rendered inoperative by saidlast mentioned means and the actuating member may then be released foractuating movement b y the insertion of the proper number of coins insaid coin slot, and means whereby the coins are discharged from saidcoin slot upon the ctuating movement ofsaid actuating mem- 9. In a coinoperated mechanism, the combination of a fixed support, an actuatingmember mounted to reciprocate in parallel relation to said support, acoin slot having a lateral opening in the Wall thereof, and a springdetent adapted to lock said member against actuating movement, saiddetent when in its locking position protruding transversely through'saidopening into said slot, whereby when a coin isinserted in said slot saiddetent is held retracted by contact With the flat face of said coin.

10. In a coin operated mechanism, the combination of a ixed support, an-actuating member provided with a coin slot and in reciprocatingrelation to and parallel with said support, said coin` slot belngprovided with a lateral opening 'in its Wall, and a spring detentadapted to lock said member against actuating movement, said detent whenin its locking position protruding transversely through said openinginto said slot, whereby When a coin is inserted in said slot said detentis held retracted by contact with the flat face of said coin.

11. In a coin operated mechanism, the

combination of a fixed support, an actuating member movable in relationto said support, a coin slot having lateral openings 1n the vWallthereof, a plurality of spring detents individuallyadapted to lock saidmember against actuating movement, said detents when in their lockingpositions protruding through said openings in said slot whereby coinsproperly positioned in said slot .will hold said detents retracted, andadditional means for holding selected detents in their retractedpositions.

Signed .at Pittsburgh, Pa., thisl 29th day of October, 1919.

EDWARD I-I. I-IEL'I.r

